One contract worker was killed and another was taken to the hospital after an ammonia leak at CF Industries Holdings Inc.’s Medicine Hat, Alberta, nitrogen complex Dec. 7. The employees of Aluma Systems were weather-proofing a large ammonia tank at a time of the incident. It is believed that a piece of equipment struck a valve and caused the leak. The worker who went to the hospital was quickly released.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of a contractor who was working at the Medicine Hat Nitrogen Complex and our thoughts go out to the family, friends and coworkers of the individual who passed away,” a CF spokesman told Green Markets. “There is no ongoing hazard from the incident to employees, contractors or the community and the plant is operating normally outside of the incident site. We take the safety of everyone inside and outside the facility very seriously, and we will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.”
Sadly, another contract worker was killed in an accident at CF’s construction site at Donaldsonville, La., Dec. 4.